Egg shipping container



April 13, l954 scHwAR'rzBERG EGG SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed MaIGhZl, 1950 l y 29ML@ April 13, 1954 Filed March 21, 1950 L.. sc'HwARTzBl-:RG

`EGG SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2f Mew 'in said cells.

Patented Apr. 13, 1954 EGG SHIPPING CONTAINER Louis Schwartzberg, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 21, 1950, Serial No. 150,900

1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to shipping containers. More particularly the invention relates to that type of container which is expressly designed for use in shipping eggs and comprises a cover equipped case and, in addition, a composite cellulose structure which is disposed within, and fills the interior of, the case and embodies a vertical series of spaced apart flats and an alternating vertical series of cell-forming fillers between the flats.

In a shipping container of this type it has been proposed and is now standard practice to form each of the cell-forming `illers of a series of horizontally elongated, vertically extending, laterally spaced cardboard strips and a second series of horizontally elongated, vertically extending, laterally spaced cardboard strips which are arranged at right angles to the first mentioned strips, dene with the latter individual cells for theeggs and are arranged in crossed and interlocked relation with said lrst mentioned strips. It has also been proposed and is now standard practice to form each of the flats of molded paper pulp and to provide the flat with side by side rows of equidistantly spaced, upwardly extending, frusto-conical boss-like members which nt within the bottom portions of the cells in the subjacent filler and have concave top walls on which rest the bottom portions of the eggs In addition it has been proposed and is now standard practice to provide each of the molded paper pulp flats with depending, comparatively shallow, hollow feet which are disposed between the upstanding boss-like egg supporting members and are positioned so that they rest on the intersections of the crossed cardboard strips of the subjacent filler. Heretofore the feet of each flat have had substantially straight side walls and iiat bottom walls with the result that they are rigid and hence will not give or compress to any appreciable extent when subjected to downward pressure. If a shipping container, the iiats of which have rigid feet of the aforementioned character, is packed with eggs of such large size that the cellular structure as a whole is of greater height than the interior of the case downward pressure on the structure in connection with securing in place of the case cover results in breakage or cracking of many of the eggs within the cells in the llers.

It is one object of this invention to provide an egg shipping container which is an improvement upon, and eliminates the defects of, previously designed containersI of the same general construction and is characterized by the fact that 2 the depending hollow feet on the iiats are so designed and constructed that when the cellular structure as a whole is subjected to downward pressure they yieldingly and progressively collapse. By having the feet so formed there is no likelihood of the eggs in the cells in the nllers breaking in the event that the cellular structure as a whole is of greater height than the interior of the case and subjected to downward pressure `when the cover of the case is secured in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide an egg shipping container in which the depending hollow feet on the molded paper pulp flats are hemispherical in shape to the end that the bottom portions thereof progressively flatten in respense to downward pressure or force.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present egg shipping container will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top perspective View of a thirty dozen egg shipping container embodying the invention, the cover and a portion of one side wall of the wooden case and certain of the fillers being omitted for purposes of illustration;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the molded paper pulp flats in an inverted or upside down position and illustrating in detail the shape and arrangement of the hollow, hemispherical feet;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the flat of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a tcp perspective view showing the lat of Figures 2 and 3 with a filler superimposed theron;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal `section of the container showing one of the cellular structures within the case in a vertically expanded condition due to the cells within the fillers being lled with large sized eggs and illustrating the case before nailing in place of the cover;

Figure Sis a similar fragmentary section showing the case after the cover has been nailed in place and the cellular structure has been downwardly compressed as permitted by progressivel Vcollapse or flattening of the depending, hollow. hemisphercal feet on the iiats;

Figure Z Vis an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the molded paper pulp flats, illustrating in detail the construction, design and arrangement of the upwardly extending egg supporting boss-like members and the depending hemispherical feet; and

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section on the line 8--3 of Figure '7.

The shipping container which is shown in the drawings is conventional or standard except for the hereinafter described hats. It is adapted to contain thirty dozen eggs and comprises a caseV I and two side by side but separated cellular structures EI and I2 in the case.

The case Il) is rectangular. It is perferably formed of wood and comprises a bottom wall I3, a pair of side walls I4, a pair of end walls I and a removable cover i6. The side and end walls are connected to, and project upwards from, the side and end marginal portions of the bottom wall I3 and denne with a cross partition I'I a pair of side by side cubical compartments I8 and I9. The cross partition Il is disposed midway between the end Walls i5 of the case. It is suitably secured to the bottom and side walls of the case and in effect constitutes another end wall for each compartment. The cover iE is shaped conformably to, and adapted to rest flatly on, the upper margins of the side and end walls of the case, and is secured in place by way of nails 2Q.

The cellular structure Ii is disposed within and lls the compartment I8 in the case. It is adapted to retain and support in spaced relation fifteen dozen eggs and consists of a vertical series of six spaced apart flats 2l and an alternating vertical series of five spaced apart cell forming fillers 22. The fillers Yare of conventional or standard construction and are disposed between,

and serve to space apart, the six flats 2|. Each of the llers 22 is square in general configuration and consists oi a series of horizontally elongated, vertically extending, laterally spaced cardboard strips and a second series of horizontally elongated, vertically extending, laterally spaced cardboard strips which extend at right angles to the first mentioned strips and are arranged in crossed and interlocked relation with the latter. The strips are designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 23 and define between them rectangular egg receiving cells 24. Each of the fillers consists of seven strips extending in one direction and seven strips extending at right angles to the one direction and hence has thirtysix cells for receiving three dozen eggs. The

flats 2l of the cellular structure II are substantially square and serve as partitions between the fillers 22. They are all the same in design and construction and are formed throughout of molded paper pulp to the end that they are inherently spongy. Each ofV the flats consists of a flat intermediate base part 25, side by side rows of equidistantly spaced, upwardly extending, frusto-conical boss-like members 26 and side by side rows of equidistantly spaced, depending, hollow feet 2l. The boss-like members 25 of each fiat are arranged in six rows of Vsix each and are shaped and positioned so as to t within the bottom portions of the cells 24 in the superjacent filler. They have concave top walls 28 which are shaped toreceive and support the small ends of the eggs in the cells. As shown in the drawings, the boss-like members 26 are spaced apart a distance materially greater than the thickness .ofthe filler forming cross strips 23 and there is one boss-like member within the bottom por.-

tion of each cell 24. The depending hollow feet 21 of each iiat ZI are forty-nine in number and are arranged in seven rows of seven each. Such rows are arranged in alternating relation with the rows of upwardly extending frusta-conical boss-like members 26 and as a result each of the members is surrounded by four feet. The feet of each at with the exception of the lowermost ilat are positioned or disposed so as to rest directly on the intersections of the crossed cardboard strips 23 of the subjacent ller. They are hemispherical in shape and are of such thickness that when subjected to appreciable downward pressure they yieldingly collapse as the result of progressive flattening of their bottom portions. The depending, hollow hemispherical feet of the lowermost flat of the cellular structure rest on the bottom wall I3 of the wooden case I as shown in Figure 1. In a flat of conventional size it has been found in practice that extremely satisfactory results are obtained when the feet are 1/2 inch in diameter and approximately 1% inch high. The flat intermediate base part 25 of each at 2l is provided in the top face thereof with straight, upwardly facing grooves 29. The Y latter extend between and intersect the upper portions of the depending hollow hemispherical feet 21 and are shaped to receive and interlock with the above lower marginal portions of the crossed strips 23 of the superjacent filler in order to prevent relative lateral displacement of the flat and filler. The feet 2l of the flats are suinciently strong so that they maintain their hemispherical shape when subjected only to the weight of the eggs in the cellular structure I I. It is contemplated that when the fillers and flats are in normal abutting relation the height of the cellular structure I I will be equal to the height of the compartment I8. Should, however, the cells in the llers 22 be filled with eggs of such large size as to increase the height of the cellular structure II to such an extent that it is higher than the compartment I8, as shown in Figure 5, downward pressure on the structure, due to nailing in place of the cover I6, will result in such collapsing of the feet 2l as to cause reduction in height of the structure without egg breakage or cracking. In other words, if the cellular structure I I, when filled with large sized eggs, is higher than the compartment It nailing in place of the cover I6 will exert such downward force as to flatten the feet 27 sufliciently to reduce the overall height of the structure to the point where it nts wholly within the compartment I'B without resulting in breakage or damage to the eggs. The feet compensate for whatever amount of reduction in the height of the cellular structure I I is necessary to make it possible properly to apply the cover I 6 to the upper margins of the side and end walls of the case I. In eiect, the feet 2'I constitute yielding cushions which will progressively hatten in response to abnormal downward pressure on the cellular structure II.

When it is desired to charge or ll the compartment I8 in the case I0 one of the flats 2i is first placed on the case bottom Wall i3. Thereafter one of the llers is placed on the flat and is manipulated so as to bring the portions of the lower margins of the crossed strips 23 that are between the intersections into intertting or interlocked relation with the upwardly facing grooves 29 in the intermediate base part of the ller. After properly positioning the filler'and filling the cells thereof with eggs another fiat is placed on the nller and then another ller is placed on the last mentioned flat and iilled with eggs. These steps are continued or repeated until completion of the cellular structure Il. After such structure is completed the cover l5 of the case is nailed in place so as to close the case.

The cellular structure l2 is disposed within and lls the compartment I9 in the case l0 and is exactly the same in design, construction and mode of operation as the cellular structure i I.

The herein described egg shipping container is highly efcient and this is directly attributable to the fact that the flats thereof have the depending, hollow, hemispherical feet which yielding collapse in response to excessive downward pres# sure. The particular flats are no more costly than conventional flats and provide yieldable cushions between the llers that are interposed therebetween.

Whereas the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with a shipping case having two compartments with two cellular structures therein it is to be understood that the invention is capable of embodiment in a container having but a single cellular structure and consisting of any number and size of flats and llers. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An egg package comprising a case containing eggs of medium and large size, said case being substantially rigid and embodying a bottom wall, a pair of opposed side Walls and a pair of opposed end walls, having the side and end walls thereof connected to, and projecting upwards from, the bottom Wall and forming with the latter an open top compartment, a removable cellular structure disposed in the compartment and consisting of a vertical series of single spaced apart one-piece ats and an alternating series of iillers disposed between the flats, formed of crossed and interlocked strips, and defining open top and bottom individual cells for eggs, each of the flats being formed throughout of inherently spongy molded paper pulp and consisting of a iiat intermediate base part, a plurality of equidistantly spaced rigid hollow boss-like members connected to, and extending upwards from, the base part, corresponding in number to, and fitting within the bottom portions of, the cells in the superjacent iiller. if any, and provided with concave egg supporting top Walls, and a plurality of hollow rounded or dome-shaped spacer type feet connected to, and depending from, said base part, positioned around, and in laterally spaced relation with, the boss-like members and disposed so that they overlie the intersections of the crossed strips of the subjacent liller, if any, said cellular structure having the height thereof equal to the height of the compartment when the iiats and fillers are all in true abutting relation with the feet or" the iiats resting directly on the intersections of the crossed strips of the illers, eggs positioned on the boss-like members of the flats, the tops of the medium sized eggs being normally out of contact With the immediately adjacent flat thereabove, while the tops of the large sized eggs are normally in contact with the immediately adjacent iiat thereabove, the hollow dome-shaped spacer type feet of the flat on which the large sized eggs are positioned being flattened or co1- lapsed sufliciently te permit the filler supported by said last mentioned flat to substantially contact the iiat immediately thereabove, and a substantially rigid cover closing the open top of the compartment and secured in place against the top flat under pressure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,268,347 Harr June 4, 1918 1,792,3o3 Hitchins Feb. 10, 1931 1,955,907 De Beamer Apr. 24, 1934 

